This is a blog that views the importance of both the historic Christian faith as well as it's relevance in the 'rubber meets the road' world of today.

Thursday, June 7, 2007

Darwin Speaks! Quote of the Week

"Why then is not every geological formation and every stratum full of such intermediate links? Geology assuredly does not reveal any such finely graduated organic chain; and this, perhaps is the most obvious and gravest objection which can be urged against my theory." -- Charles Robert Darwin, The Origin of Species, 1st edition reprint. Avenel Books, 1979; p. 292

7 comments:

It was a rhetorical question by Darwin. Continuing on pg 292. "I have found it difficult, when looking at any tow species, to avoid picturing to myself, forms directly intermediate between them. But this is a wholly false view; we should always look for forms intermediate between each species and a a common but unknown progenitor; and the progenitor will generally have differed in some respects from all its modified decendents." And they have, natural selection.

I think it (the quote I presented) illustrates the point quite clearly and in it's further context (that you pointed out) reinforces the original point. Darwin's admission that he pictured to himself (imagined) what intermediates would look like, he called a false view. Then he said we should always look for forms intermediate between each species and a common but unknown progenitor. So the search for intermediates goes on...

txatheist: Sorry about not answering one of your questions; why are you against evolution? Evolution is the big lie. Someone once said if you repeat a lie often enough and loud enough, people will believe it. It's so pervasive that it's completely taken over the popular media. Sure there are many religious people that believe in both creation and evolution but I believe it's dangerous, faulty thinking, especially where origins are concerned. Paul warned his friend Timothy about it this way; "Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called: Which some professing have erred concerning the faith." - 1 Timothy 6:20, 21a.Quite appropriate for today IMHO. I have no problem with truth, scientific or biblical. I see truth in micro-evolution by virtue of the fact that bacteria evolve strains that are drug resistant, finches on the Galapagos that evolve heavier beaks in drought and even change back after droughts etc. That's demonstrable. The bacteria are still bacteria, the finches are still finches etc. That's not a problem for me, but to assume that one creature turns into another through billions of years of these incremental changes is not supported by any hard evidence. I mean the fairy tale of a frog being kissed by a princess turning that frog into a prince is repeated as "science falsely so called." That's not to mention a whole host of moral issues largely supported, denial of rights, and religious persecutions inflicted especially on Christians by atheistic societies. That's the short answer to your question.